In spite of this, there is one ‘but’. Those who are frequent cyclists have a lot of gear to transport. The gears cannot fit in the trunk of a RAV4. Therefore, you have to resort to aftermarket bike racks. These bike racks have a wide range of features and they can be used in a variety of ways. It is quite capable of transporting your bike wherever you want it safely and effectively.
By adding the right accessory to this compact SUV, you can turn it into a beast that can be used for all kinds of adventures, and you can say goodbye to the hassles of bringing your bikes around. Furthermore, with the best bike rack for Rav4, you will be able to find more space inside the vehicle for all of the other supplies you will need as you explore the world.
When it comes to buying a Toyota RAV4 bike rack, where do you start your search?
Assume that you want to buy a bike rack that will work perfectly with your Toyota RAV4. So, where do you begin your search? More importantly, what should you look for when you begin the search? There are a lot of options when it comes to the accessories for bikes. This acts both as a blessing and a headache at the same time.
You can choose from a wide range of products available because there are many options available for your RAV4, so you can choose the product that best fits your vehicle. Having said that, anomalies can cause a lot of confusion and discomfort. To save you from that, I am going to review five awesome bike racks that will suit your RAV4 perfectly. These will make all of your bike tours a memorable experience.
There are a couple of things I want to take into consideration before we begin. It’s a fact that bike racks are designed in a subtle way to fit with almost any kind of vehicle, let alone a RAV4 as well.
In the case of the cars, however, these rules do not apply. In other words, they don’t have to follow these rules. That’s why in some cases, customers are stunned to discover that they cannot mount certain types of bike racks on their cars.
It has been found that, for example, Honda Prius Prime cannot be used with trunk rack bike racks because the back of the car is designed uniquely. In the same way, you can’t use all types of rear door-fitting bike carriers with this Toyota RAV4. This is because the tailgate on the RAV4 is not something you would call a strong one at all.
Overview of Best Picks
It is important for you to know that I have hand-picked the best bike racks for your SUV from three different categories that are capable of transporting your bikes safely from one place to another.
Firstly, let us take a look at the Hollywood Racks Destination Platform Style Bike Rack. It has a capacity of carrying up to four bicycles and has a very good ground clearance. The ground clearance is crucial for a vehicle such as a RAV4. This SUV has a low suspension system.
In addition, we also have the Tyger Auto TG-RK4B848B, a robust platform-style hitch rack that can also carry four bikes. It is well made and relatively easy to assemble, with plenty of useful features. It is also compatible with a wide range of bikes.
After that, we’ll take a look at a hanger rack, a KAC S4. It has a solid design and high quality construction. It goes nicely with an SUV and features 2 arms with 8 rubber straps that allow it to be used to secure a wide range of bicycles, including road bikes, mountain bikes, and gravel bikes.
Lastly, let me take a moment to take a look at the Thule Passage Trunk Mount Carrier. It is very convenient and easy to use. It is compact, versatile, and is capable of securing your bikes safely and securely inside the trunk.
Lastly, there is a rooftop rack from CyclingDeal. It is a well-made rack that excels in the areas of compatibility and versatility. It is solid and sturdy, and it can hold a maximum weight of 66 pounds. Designed to hold two bikes at a time, it can carry a maximum weight of 66 pounds.
Therefore, with that being said, let’s get right into the details of the very first product on the list and see what it has to offer.
The Top 5 Toyota RAV4 bike racks are going to be discussed in detail in the following paragraphs!
A 50-60 word review on a bike rack doesn’t really tell you much, I know. That’s why I’m going to take things a little further, because I want to help you guys make better decisions. Let’s take a look at some detailed bike rack reviews.
1. Hollywood Racks Destination 4 Bikes Platform Hitch Rack
I think the best bike rack for you if you want to take your whole family with you on your next adventure. This is a great bike rack when it comes to carrying more than two bikes at the same time, making it the perfect bike rack for the whole family. With a capacity of 4 bikes to be precise, this is a sturdy and durable rack that can be used by any family.
You won’t find a shortage of features on the Hollywood Racks Destination bike rack. It is perfect for transporting your bike from one place to another. You will find it easy to maneuver and it weighs much less than a normal platform bike rack. It has padded frame holders (which I love), along with ratcheting wheel straps as well.
As if that wasn’t enough, the rack also comes with an anti-rattle hitch pin, which keeps the rack from rattling around inside the receiver. This feature keeps the rack from falling around while you are driving.
Having said that, let’s take a closer look at what’s going on now, shall we?
Starting with the padded rotating holders, they are only geared towards maintaining the safety and security of your bicycles no matter what happens. Additionally, the rack can rotate all around its axis as well as up and down the center mast independently. This cool feature provides a certain degree of flexibility to the rack.
This is made possible by the fact that these frame holders can move independently, so they can accommodate bikes of different shapes and sizes. Furthermore, the manufacturers have also added padded ratcheting straps to these bike frame holders, so they hold them in place and keep them safe.
You will certainly not have a problem with compatibility with Hollywood Racks Destination. The wheel holders of this platform bike rack can accommodate bikes with a wheelbase up to 48 inches. Are you a proud owner of a bike with giant tires? If so, your days of worrying will soon come to an end if you install this rack.
Aside from that, the ratcheting wheel straps are a great way to secure the wheels on the bike trays. Yes, those straps are also padded in case you were wondering, and you can easily adjust them along with the tray to fit your needs.
When it comes to transporting bikes, wobbling is always considered as an inevitable part of the process. Well, and now you can be sure you will never experience that again with this rack. The ratchet wheel holders will reduce the slipping and movement of your bikes by a huge margin when you’re on the road.
The rack folds when you are not using it, so you can simply fold it up against the back of your vehicle when you are not using it. Simply unscrew the knob and pull it out to lift up the whole structure. Once you have lifted it, re-insert the knob and tighten it to the rack, and you are done.
How easy is it to install the rack? Do you think it will be difficult? The answer to that question is, not at all. To make it easier for you, the rack comes with an anti-rattle hitch pin that will be needed in order for you to install it. In order to install the rack, you must first slide the shank into the receiver and then insert the hitch pin.
Then, simply tighten the screw down with the included tool. That’s it. The pin serves a very important purpose here. It acts as an anti-wobble device that keeps the receiver from swaying and shaking. The rack also comes with a hitch lock that will prevent the hitch from being stolen from your SUV. You can use this to secure your hitch to your SUV and prevent theft.
There is no doubt that Hollywood Racks Destination is one of the best bike racks for Toyota RAV4.
The only issue that I could find with it was that I tried very hard to find one, but I couldn’t. It can carry a considerable amount of weight, supports a wide range of bikes, keeps them safe and secure, and does not have an adverse effect on the driving experience. Without a doubt, this has got to be one of the best bike racks out there for the RAV4.
2. Tyger Auto TG-RK4B848B 4-Bike Platform Rack
It is also a platform style rack, which can be used to carry four bikes at the same time. It is not a problem anymore to take a family trip on bikes with all the family members along. There may be a wobble on the hitch which could be fixed with another pin, but there is really nothing wrong with this rack as you will see.
It is extremely easy to install and it does not take much time at all, just like Hollywood Racks Destination, so you can escape somewhere far with your loved ones if you have the Tyger Auto TG-RK4B848B and Toyota RAV4. Compatible with a wide range of dual-arm bikes, it is very capable I must say. It does not take much time to install, just like Hollywood Racks Destination, and is also quite flexible.
If your RAV4 is equipped with either a 1.25 inch or 2 inch hitch receiver, you should have no problems using this bike carrier. It is made from a heavy-duty 2.5-inch marine-grade stainless steel tubing frame that never needs to be painted, making it no hassle to install.
The manufacturer used mirror-polished finish on the rack to make it more durable. Because this rack has a mirror-polished finish, you will automatically be able to see the quality of the welding work. Welding appears to be a seamless job.
Firstly, let us talk about its weight capacity. The Tyger Auto Deluxe can hold up to four bikes, each weighing up to 33 pounds. This is a standard for most top-tier racks. You should be able to carry all four of your bikes safely with this weight capacity. However, do not forget to watch out for those electronic bikes. Each of these bikes can weigh up to 50 pounds.
On the subject of security, this rack comes with a free hitch keylock that is designed to prevent thieves from stealing your bike. If you lock it properly, you will be able to keep your hitch and receiver together, and nobody will be able to unhitch the rack without the lock off.
In order to keep your bikes safe, there are three strap-down points per bike. These points will ensure your bikes remain safely strapped. Furthermore, there is a long belt strap that will secure the entire payload in place and protect your bikes from any kind of damage.
As part of its effort to increase accessibility, Tyger Auto has developed a tiltable rack that you can adjust as you like. If you need to access your trunk and bikes in an emergency, you can simply tilt the rack downwards. If you only need to access the trunk, you don’t have to unmount your bikes. That is also very convenient and useful.
There is also a folding feature on the rack and you don’t need to worry about it because it is also collapsible and foldable. When you don’t need to transport your bikes right away, just fold the vertical bar against your car. This is compact and offers a lot of storage space.
In general, Tyger Auto does not disappoint when it comes to making good-quality bike racks. This TG-RK4B848B is no exception to that rule. It is made to last if it is maintained properly, which is why it is considered to be a rugged platform-style bike rack. Most importantly, it keeps your bikes safe and secure throughout the trip.
3. KAC S4 2” Hitch Mounted Rack
This article is going to focus on the KAC S4 hanging hitch bike rack for the Toyota RAV4 that is capable of pulling four bikes at one time. This is yet another great option for the family plan since it has all the features that a premium bike rack ought to have.
As a result of their location in the Ozark mountains, they are surrounded by some of the finest mountain biking ranges in the United States. As a result of their passion for biking, they are able to make high-quality bike racks that are able to satisfy the needs and expectations of their customers.
A KAC S4 hitch mounted bike rack can compete on an almost neck-and-neck basis with any top-tier bike rack available on the market today. It is extremely durable, widely compatible, and comes with several cool features like an anti-wobble system, locking hitch pin, and rear reflectors.
As usual, we will begin with the build of the KAC S4. Made from powder-coated steel and designed for longevity, the KAC S4 is built to last. I was immediately impressed by the structure which felt strong and sturdy. Another feature that stands out is the anti-wobble technology which keeps the rack perfectly steady while driving.
Thus, there will be no sway at all from the rack to the receiver, as the receiver will not move at all between the rack and the receiver.
There is no doubt that the KAC S4 Hitch Mounted Rack is a rugged product. It is a testament to its ruggedness when you look at what it can carry. The KAC S4 Hitch Mounted Rack is able to carry 132 pounds of weight. That amounts to 33 pounds of weight per bike.
Even though it is not quite on par with Hollywood Racks Destination or Tyger Auto TG-RK4B848b when it comes to weight capacity, it is still able to support most customers’ weight needs.
You can easily install this rack, by following the instructions that come with it. Simply follow the instructions and you won’t have any problems. Designed to fit all 2″ hitch receivers, KAC S4’s dual arms can accommodate a wide range of bikes and vehicles.
The only thing that needs to be addressed is that you may need to purchase a bike frame adapter separately if you want to use it with a suspension bike, a women’s bike, or a kid’s bike.
Secondly, we need to talk about the safety features of this bike rack. There are rear reflectors that add enhanced visibility at night. That is always a good thing to have on a bike rack. In addition, you can use the safety strap during transit to keep your bike’s integrity intact. It will keep them safe and secure during transit as well.
The KAC S4 also has a Smart Tilt feature that is quick and easy to use. You can easily remove the entire structure from your SUV, allowing you to get easy access to your trunk and rear cargo when the need arises. The dual lever allows you to tilt the rack either with the arms extended or folded flat thanks to the dual lever.
Also, if you don’t want to use the rack to transport your vehicles, just fold it up and save space behind your vehicle. The compact design makes it convenient for garage parking. It is possible to fold it flat if you aren’t using it to transport your vehicles. This feature is also available if you do not want to remove the rack as soon as you return from a trip.
There is no doubt that KAC S4 is one of the best racks for taking care of your bikes when you are on the road with a Toyota RAV4. The manufacturers have somehow managed to imprint the spirit of biking into their products. This is why the racks behave so well with your bikes when you are on the road with this vehicle.
4. Thule Passage Trunk Mount Bike Carrier
There have been two platform-style racks we have encountered so far and one hanging rack. Here, we’ll look at a trunk mount carrier from Thule Passage. Since this is a different kind of rack, I will briefly describe how it works since it is different in kind. You already have some knowledge of hitch-mounted platforms and hanging racks.
Trunk Mount Carrier: How Does It Work?
A trunk-mounted carrier works on a very simple principle. It operates by creating tension against the surface of the vehicle. To hold the rack in place, it is necessary to provide support straps. These support straps are anchored down on different points of the vehicle to prevent the rack from moving.
If there are a lot of straps, the strength of the hold will increase. However, it can cause irritation to some people because it can take a lot more time to install the straps. Of course, fewer straps will decrease the installation time by a great deal, but you shouldn’t take the risk.
In fact, they can be used on many different types of vehicles. Most trunk mount racks are adjustable so they can be fitted to fit a wide variety of vehicles. With that in mind, let’s look at the details of the Thule Passage Trunk Mount Carrier.
Back to the Product
With its dedicated built-in anti-sway system as well as padded arms, the Thule Passage separates itself from other trunk mount bike racks when it comes to keeping your bikes safe and secure on rough terrain when you are driving. These two features alone help keep your bikes safe and secure from any damage if you find yourself traveling through rough terrain.
The Thule Passage Trunk Mount Carrier comes in two models. A RAV4 trunk mount bike carrier is able to carry two and a third of your bikes at the same time. The material used is high-quality vinyl coated steel, and its build is solid. With the FitDial Hub adjustment system, you can adjust your RAV4’s exterior to fit perfectly.
As a result, it is possible to carry 35 pounds per bike. This is more than what you can carry with the KAC S4 2″ Hitch Mounted Rack (30 pounds). The 911XT model, on the other hand, is able to handle three bikes. Thus, if you want to carry heavier bikes in addition to standard bikes, it is possible.
Because of the narrow cradle arms on the Thule Passage, a wide range of bikes can be accommodated by it. In addition to holding small child bikes, these cleverly designed arms can also be used with hanging hitch bike racks. Most of them suffer from this issue. However, the issue can be solved by purchasing a bike frame adapter to fix the problem.
Likewise, the process of installing it is very simple. The rack will be locked in place once the optimal fit position has been determined. In order to do so, simply turn the knobs on the wings to adjust the angle. The carrier arms can also be installed instantly by simply pressing a one-button connection button.
The feature also enables quick and easy removal of the rack. In order to park the SUV with the rack attached, the arms must be moved to the side and then lowered.
There is an impressive no-sway cage system on this bike that prevents bike-to-bike contact during transit. It extends below the rubberized cradles, supports your bike frame, and attaches to the carrier arms to prevent your bike from moving during transit.
As far as safety is concerned, it is absolutely safe. The six strap system ensures that the rack is firmly attached to the vehicle. But what about the bikes’ safety? Well, the soft rubber crates protect the bikes’ frames while keeping them in place securely.
There is nothing that makes this Thule Passage Trunk Mount Carrier better than it is designed to perform no matter what the condition is. Even if the road gets rough, it still protects your bike with all of its might, so you can be sure that with a sturdy build and numerous ingenious features, this is a bike rack that you can count on for your Toyota RAV4.
5. CyclingDeal Alloy Roof Bike Rack
As we near the end of this article on the best bike racks for RAV4, I want to end it with a rooftop rack. I have picked the CyclingDeal Alloy Roof Bike Rack for this purpose. If you want to explore something new or don’t want to install a hitch on the back of your car, this might be the rack you’ve been looking for.
The CyclingDeal Bike Rack is a nice option for those who are looking for a roof-based bike carrying system. It has a simple installation process that doesn’t require any tools, and it’s universally compatible. It is also quite robust.
In order to make cycling and biking more comfortable for cyclists and bikers, the manufacturers have made some changes to this new improved model, which comes with a folding arm design, adjustable down tube clamps, 2 x brake tire straps, and quality wheel tie-down straps for ensuring a secure mounting.
In addition, they have made it from 6063 Aluminum with a light product weight of 12.3 pounds. As a result, the rack is able to be both strong and light at the same time. The rack’s basic material composition adds to its flexibility and ease of use, along with a quality finish which will keep the rack rust-free for years to come.
There are many bikes which can be accommodated by the CyclingDeal Roof Bike Rack. It can hold two bikes up to 66 pounds. Planning to carry your kid’s bike? Don’t worry. With this bike carrier, you won’t even need a frame adapter to accommodate them. This bike carrier is capable of fitting bikes ranging from 20″ kids bikes to 29″ adult bikes, including 700C bikes.
But that is not the end of the story. The frame clamp strap that is applied to the down tube of the bike is highly adjustable. It can be rotated 360 degrees, and the maximum diameter of the down tube is 10cm/4”. All of these features make this frame clamp even more adaptable to many different bicycle models.
Besides the genuine tool-free universal mounting system, which makes it super easy for you to install the brackets on the crossbars of your car roof, you do not even need to use any tools to install it on your car. To install it, you simply have to clamp the metal brackets on the crossbars and you are done.
There’s this adjustable one-hand wheel strap that lets you load the bike on your own. You won’t need any help with this. Just follow the instructions carefully and you’ll be just fine. Just make sure to read the instructions carefully and you won’t have any problems.
For the best use of the bike carrier, it is also important to use the wheel straps properly to ensure that your bikes are protected. So, make sure you use them as instructed for the best results.
The short version is that this is a robust-capable bike rack designed to fit Toyota RAV4 vehicles. Its versatility and compatibility are unquestionable. Designed to withstand harsh weather conditions, this is one that will stand up to any challenge. If you keep your driving speed in check, you should be able to use it without any difficulty at all.
Is Rooftop Bike Rack Safe?
As a matter of fact, a rooftop bike rack is very easy to install, it fits most styles of crossbars, and it is surprisingly lightweight, despite the fact that it is usually made of a sturdy aluminum alloy. It is also safer than you might think, yet it is extremely easy to install.
If you have bikes attached to your roof rack, you should not drive faster than 75 miles per hour. In the event that you drive faster than you should, they create a substantial amount of air resistance. You could also experience a slightly unstable driving experience if there is strong wind or rain present.
I would like to conclude by saying that
In terms of storage capacity, the Toyota RAV4 offers a lot of space. However, those who lead a more active lifestyle may find it difficult to store all the sporting equipment in this SUV. While this is totally understandable, it should not take a way from your desire to experience outdoor adventures.
The problem of storing bikes on the roof of your car can easily be fixed for cyclists by using a good bike rack. Always remember, a good bike rack can become more than just an accessory. It can become a trusted companion of yours that keeps your precious bikes safe and sound.
It is understandable that finding the right bike rack for your RAV4 can be a challenging task because there is no shortage of options available. There are a lot of anomalies that can confuse you, they can exhaust you, but do not let the anomalies get to you. Choose the one that will work perfectly with your RAV4 and your bikes. Don’t compromise in any way.
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